Hydraulic door check



Patented Dec. 14, 1948 HYDRAULIC DOOR CHECK David J. Seaman and Albert E. Wood, Battle Creek, and Clarence A. Hathaway, Lansing, Mich.; said Wood and said Hathaway assignors to said Seaman Application August 7, 1944, Serial No. 548,388

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in hydraulic door checks.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved door check that may be mounted. directly in the door structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved door check which functions to swing the door toward a closed postion, having one or more hesitations for the convenience of persons passing through the door.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, which will more fully appear from a consideration of the following specification and annexed claims.

In the illustrated form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a door construction embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is across-sectional view of the hinge column of the door structure taken. on lines IIII of Fi 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlargement of the hesitation valve contruction shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlargement of a portion of the door detail showing lateral adjustment of the door structure, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged detail of the antifriction support for the adjusted door section.

For a more detailed discussion of the door construction in which the present invention is illustrated, reference may be had to United States Patents No. 2,323,625 and No. 2,325,711.

The improved hydraulic door check, generally designated by reference character I0, is shown housed in an extruded metal hinge column l2 in the upper portion thereof. The ,main door section 14 is received through the longitudinal slot portion IS on the column l2, the section I 4 being notched out to provide a clearance for the check unit H].

In Figs. 4 and 5 the manner in which section 14 is supported and adusted within the column I 2 is illustrated. As shown, section I4 is provided with an inserted metal section having a threaded bolt 22 to take the adjustment screw 24 which may be provided with a screw driver head 26. Threaded in a thickened portion 28 of the column 12 is a locking screw 30. Through the proper adjustment of the screws 24 and 30, it should be apparent that the door section l4 may be adjusted relative to the column [2.

In Fig. 5 the manner in which the door section is supported in the column I2 is illustrated.

piston rings 14 and 16.

This construction consists of a bearing block 32 supported from the column [2 and carrying an antifriction roller 34. The door section l4 carries a flange plate 36 which rests on the element 34 to support the weight of the door section I4 and at the same time permits lateral relative adjustment between the column 52 and the section M, as shown in Fig 4.

The hydraulic door check and associated structure comprises a square driver portion 38 adapted to be received in a similarly shaped female member supported in the door frame in a well-known manner. A thrust bearing is indicated at 40 and supports the door for suitable movement through the upper cap 42, which is slidably received within the column l2 and has threaded connection at 44 in the main outer cylinder 46 of the door check. The lower body portion 48 of the check is threaded on the cylinder at 50. A stop 52 engaging with a lug 54 locates the cylinder 46 and body 48 and their associated structure within the column I2. The key spline 56 and key 58 prevent relative rotation between the cylinder 46 and body 48, and the door structure elements l2 and [4.

Fixed with the driver 38 is an upper body portion 60 in which is a Vertical bore 62 to receive the upper end 64 of the shaft 66. A cross pin 68, carried by the shaft 66, operates in the cross slot 1'0 of the body 60. Fixed to the central portion of the shaft 66 is the piston 12 having At the lower portion of the shaft 66 is a pin 18 carrying a roller which is adapted to operate in the slot 82 defined in the body 48.

With the parts in position as shown in Fig. 1, the door is in its closed position with the spring 84 reacting against the body 60 and the shaft 66 through the spring seat ,86 to position the roller 80 in the extreme lower position of the groove 82. When the door is swung open relative rotation between the shaft 66 and the ady 48 will advance the roller 80 upwardly along the groove 82, raising the shaft 66 and compressing the spring 84 in its initial movement and both the spring 84 and the spring 88 on subsequent movement, nested springs being employed to build up greater tension with initial light tension with the door in a closed position.

Extending throughout the entire length of the shaft 66 is a centrally located hole 90, which is enlarged at 92 to receive the hesitation valve 94, the latter being adjustably supported through a threaded connection 96 in the body 48 and actuated through a thumb screw 98. Attached in between these points.

certain hole 90 T0 lubri-A around the pin 68 and up through the Itop'of itheshaft 66 past the ball check 1 i4. The majority of fluid, however, passing upwardly through the hole 90 enters the chamber above the piston 12 through the by-pass H6.

After the door has been opened and has been 0 released to its closing movement, the tension built up in the springs 84 and 88 tend-s to lower the shaft 56 and its associated parts; At this time the fluid that is trapped between the lower side of the piston" and the top of the body 48 is forced'down through the passage H8, past the adjustable metering valve 120 and into the chamber l22. The rate at which the fluid in the chamher 522 is permitted to enter the enlarged opening 92 and passed upwardly through the hole 80 de pends upon the area between the orifice I02 and the hesitation valve 94. It will be noted from 'Fig. 3 that the valve 94 has spaced cylindrical portions I24 which are capable orpassing through the orifice 102, but restrict the same to a greater extent than the portion of the valve 94 between the portions IZG. door on closing to hesitate one or more times. In practice it has been found desirable to have a hesitation at the point that the "door is nor mally opened when first passing through the same and a hesitation just prior to the time the door is completely shut to avoid slamming. If desired one or-more hesitations may be provided It will be understood that the location of the spaced portions E24 will determine the points of hesitation in the closing arc of the door.

Having thus described our invention what we desireto secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

l. A hydraulic door check comprising spring means in which energy is stored up on opening movement of a door, a cylinder, apiston operating in said cylinder, said spring means acting against said piston to displace hydrauliofluid'from said cylinder, valve means for controlling movement of said piston and the rate of dissipation of said spring, and means associated with said valve means including axial spaced portions of similar cross section separated by'portions of lesser cross section for providing first an increasing then a decreasing and finally an increasing rate of restriction during movement of said piston prior to an increasing restriction at the time of complete closing.

A hydraulic door check comprising a cylinder, a piston operating in said cylinder, means This arrangement causes'the adapted to be associated with movement of the door to move said piston in one direction upon opening of the door, a spring actuated by said piston to store up energy to close the door, means for admitting hydraulic fluid to one side of said piston upon opening movement of the door, valve means .for "regulating the discharge of hydraulic fluid from said cylinder to regulate the rate of closing of the door, said valve means including an orifice, a valve member working in said orifice,

one of said valve element being movable with said piston, one of said valve elements having suddenly variable restricting structure longitu- :dinally thereof to impart one or more sudden pauses or hesitations prior to the full closing action of the door.

3. A'hydraulic door check comprising spring means, means for storing up energy in said spring, adapted to be actuated upon swinging movement of the door, a hydraulic fluid circuit, a motion dampingelement operating in said cir cuit and operatively connected to said spring means to control the rate of dissipation of the spring energy, valve mechanism located in said circuit for suddenlydecreasing and increasing the rate, 10f dissipation during the closing movement of the valve to provide sudden pauses or hesitations in the door closing movement, said valve mechanism comprising a part longitudinally moved upon dissipationofpring energy,-an orifice or fixed area defined in said part, longitudinally adjustable-valvepart projecting through said orifice, longitudinally displaced portions on said valve part of suddenly difierent areas ,for positioning in said orifice upon movement of said valve part and a .fixed structure in which :said valve part is mounted-and longitudinallyadjusted relatively to said prifice.

4. A hydraulic door :check comprising spring means in which energy is stored iupoh opening movement of thedocr, a cylinder, a piston operating in said icylinder, said spring means acting against said piston to displace hydraulic fluid from said cylinder, valve 'means for controlling movement-of said piston and the rate of displacement :of said spring, and means associated with said valve means including-axial spaced portions of larger cross section separated suddenlyby portions of lesser cross section, for providing suddenpauses or 'hesitations in the closing movement of :the door.

DAVID J. :SEADEAN.

ALBERT E. WOOD. CLARENCE A; I-IATHAWAY.

REFERENCES CITED file .of .this patent;

UNITED "STATES PATENTS Number Name --Date .l,178,460 Smith n Apr. 916 1,682,696. Morgan. -r.. Aug.L28, 928 2,163,459 Cleveland, June 20, 1939 2,347,380 Voight .Apr. 2.5, 194.4 

